In a digital world where surveillance tools often outpace regulations, one company has made headlines for calling itself the ethical player in an otherwise murky business: Paragon. Based in Israel, Paragon made international waves when it cut off the Italian government earlier this year after its spyware was used to monitor two journalists — a move without precedent in the shadowy spyware industry.
But now, that same company faces a new challenge — one that could test the very foundation of its “ethical” brand.
🧊 ICE, Trump, and a $2M Spyware Deal
In September 2024, Paragon quietly signed a $2 million contract with U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), a deal that has yet to go live and currently remains under review. But with Trump back in office, immigration enforcement is back in full swing — powered by big data, Palantir tech, and now possibly Paragon spyware.
The contract’s status is in limbo, but that window closes fast: by September 29, 2025, a simple green light from the U.S. government could activate the deal — leaving Paragon to decide if it will supply its controversial tools to an agency accused of human rights violations and aggressive surveillance of both immigrants and U.S. citizens.
🧱 The Big Beautiful Bill Act and Big Tech Surveillance
The newly passed “Big Beautiful Bill Act,” Trump’s flagship immigration policy, gives ICE a vastly increased budget and expands its authority. With thousands already detained, and federal databases under constant query, Paragon’s spyware could become the ultimate enforcement weapon.
But should it?
So far, Paragon isn’t talking. It refused to tell TechCrunch what it would do if the ICE contract is approved. Homeland Security won’t comment. The Trump administration passed the buck. And no one seems willing to confront what an “ethical” spyware deal with ICE really means.
💣 Reputation vs. Revenue
Spyware companies don’t typically name clients. Too risky. Too political. But Paragon broke that norm by naming Italy as a violator of its use policy. That bold move won praise — but it also raised the bar.
Now, any future deals — especially with actors like ICE — come with a built-in spotlight.
The fact that WhatsApp users, including journalists and human rights advocates, were recently targeted by Paragon’s spyware has already drawn ire. But Paragon has tried to defend its position by claiming it only works with “select global democracies,” with the U.S. and its allies front and center.
But what happens when the political winds shift? Is Trump’s America the same democracy Paragon envisioned when it inked that contract?
🔍 What Happens Next?
With two months to go, the ICE deal may expire quietly. Or it may become Paragon’s next ethical test.
Either way, this is more than a business decision. It’s about setting boundaries in an industry that rarely has any — and deciding whether surveillance tools can ever truly be ethical when governments themselves are unpredictable.
🧠 Quote of the Moment
“Given this administration’s record of attacks on human rights and civil society organizations, we hope that Paragon would reconsider the agreement.”
